The Hindu: National: Saturday, 22 November 2025.
The parrot, which is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), requires special permits, including individual CITES registration and import certificates, for their trade in the domestic and international markets
There are no registered
breeders or authorised pet shops to sell African grey parrots (Psittacus
erithacus) one of the most easily procurable animals in the country. While the
bird is extensively available in pet markets, Forest departments in different
States said no breeder has registered with them. The departments had responded
to applications filed by The Hindu under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, to
understand the trade in the exotic species.
The parrot, which is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), requires special permits, including individual CITES registration and import certificates, for their trade in the domestic and international markets.
Extensive capture of the bird for the international pet trade have led to the populations being decimated in their home ranges encompassing parts of Central Africa. The species is also listed as ‘Endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
What the RTI responses said
Out of 19 States and Union Territories to whom the applications were sent asking about the trade in the species, only Kerala’s Forest department declared it had received 17 applications for the registration of breeders’ licences for the species through the PARIVESH portal. The State also said registration of pet stores was delegated to be dealt with by the State Animal Welfare Board. Meanwhile, most other States gave generic responses about not having access to the data requested, while some forest divisions also responded individually, stating that the species was not found in their divisions, misunderstanding the requests.
“That pet stores are an animal rights issue, and deal only with the sale of dogs and cats, has become an outdated point of view,” said a researcher working on the illegal trade in pets across the country. He said the African grey parrots were now protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. As per the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, every person having these species, be it pet shop owners or pet owners, need to register ownership on the PARIVESH 2.0 portal.
Despite Tamil Nadu claiming that as per their records, there were no registered breeders, traders, or pet stores dealing in the commercial trade of African grey parrots, the Forest department said it was compiling inspection reports and audits of breeding facilities, pet shops, and sellers of the species.
Breeding licence
To breed CITES Appendix I species like the African grey parrot, a valid breeding licence is required. To obtain this licence, an application must be submitted to the Chief Wildlife Warden under the Breeders of Species Licence Rules, 2023. The applicant must also have the CITES import permit for the species, a Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) import licence number, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the respective Chief Wildlife Warden for the import before applying for the breeding licence, a researcher understanding the trade in exotic wildlife said.
“The information is not available in this office and the process of collecting, compiling and verifying the same is likely to take additional time. As such, the reply will be send [sic] once the process is completed...” the Tamil Nadu Forest department said.
Shekhar Kumar Niraj, former Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu, and currently the South Asia head of the Wildlife Justice Commission, said it was mandatory for the Forest department of each State to maintain records of exotic species. “Even prior to importing, buyers have to receive approval from their respective State’s Chief Wildlife Wardens, aside from import certificates and CITES approvals,” he said.
“The trade in exotic species is on the rise, and maintaining registries of these species is extremely important as they pose a biohazard with the potential for spreading zoonotic diseases and also for becoming invasive species,” he added.
Trade hubs
Chief Executive Officer at Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Jose Louies said Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka have become hubs for the import and trade in exotic species.
“These three South Indian States have got well-established aviaries, which are breeding these animals and selling it across the country. If you look at a hub of exotic pet trade in India, it is the three southern states. Whether it is grey parrots, marmosets, anacondas, or turtles, there are farms, traders, networks and organised transportation methods,” said Mr. Louies.
However, he does not lay the blame for a lack of oversight on these species on the Forest department. “You cannot expect the Forest department or enforcement agencies to go to house to house and search for these animals,” he said. People buy animals without paperwork, and also breed them illegally without breeders’ permits. He says while the legal framework exists to monitor exotic species, challenges in implementing laws remain difficult to overcome.
“The problem is not just the grey parrot. The problem is, what we are going to face is alien and invasive species, which are going to be very common and will create problems across the country. The grey parrot is just one particular species, but we can say that about iguanas, marmosets, snakes, turtles; they all have the ability to become invasive in our ecosystem,” he added. The only solution to this problem would be for a mindset in people to stop wanting to own these animals or a blanket ban on all exotic species.
The parrot, which is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), requires special permits, including individual CITES registration and import certificates, for their trade in the domestic and international markets
The parrot, which is listed under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), requires special permits, including individual CITES registration and import certificates, for their trade in the domestic and international markets.
Extensive capture of the bird for the international pet trade have led to the populations being decimated in their home ranges encompassing parts of Central Africa. The species is also listed as ‘Endangered’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
What the RTI responses said
Out of 19 States and Union Territories to whom the applications were sent asking about the trade in the species, only Kerala’s Forest department declared it had received 17 applications for the registration of breeders’ licences for the species through the PARIVESH portal. The State also said registration of pet stores was delegated to be dealt with by the State Animal Welfare Board. Meanwhile, most other States gave generic responses about not having access to the data requested, while some forest divisions also responded individually, stating that the species was not found in their divisions, misunderstanding the requests.
“That pet stores are an animal rights issue, and deal only with the sale of dogs and cats, has become an outdated point of view,” said a researcher working on the illegal trade in pets across the country. He said the African grey parrots were now protected under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. As per the Living Animal Species (Reporting and Registration) Rules, 2024, every person having these species, be it pet shop owners or pet owners, need to register ownership on the PARIVESH 2.0 portal.
Despite Tamil Nadu claiming that as per their records, there were no registered breeders, traders, or pet stores dealing in the commercial trade of African grey parrots, the Forest department said it was compiling inspection reports and audits of breeding facilities, pet shops, and sellers of the species.
Breeding licence
To breed CITES Appendix I species like the African grey parrot, a valid breeding licence is required. To obtain this licence, an application must be submitted to the Chief Wildlife Warden under the Breeders of Species Licence Rules, 2023. The applicant must also have the CITES import permit for the species, a Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) import licence number, and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the respective Chief Wildlife Warden for the import before applying for the breeding licence, a researcher understanding the trade in exotic wildlife said.
“The information is not available in this office and the process of collecting, compiling and verifying the same is likely to take additional time. As such, the reply will be send [sic] once the process is completed...” the Tamil Nadu Forest department said.
Shekhar Kumar Niraj, former Chief Wildlife Warden of Tamil Nadu, and currently the South Asia head of the Wildlife Justice Commission, said it was mandatory for the Forest department of each State to maintain records of exotic species. “Even prior to importing, buyers have to receive approval from their respective State’s Chief Wildlife Wardens, aside from import certificates and CITES approvals,” he said.
“The trade in exotic species is on the rise, and maintaining registries of these species is extremely important as they pose a biohazard with the potential for spreading zoonotic diseases and also for becoming invasive species,” he added.
Trade hubs
Chief Executive Officer at Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) Jose Louies said Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka have become hubs for the import and trade in exotic species.
“These three South Indian States have got well-established aviaries, which are breeding these animals and selling it across the country. If you look at a hub of exotic pet trade in India, it is the three southern states. Whether it is grey parrots, marmosets, anacondas, or turtles, there are farms, traders, networks and organised transportation methods,” said Mr. Louies.
However, he does not lay the blame for a lack of oversight on these species on the Forest department. “You cannot expect the Forest department or enforcement agencies to go to house to house and search for these animals,” he said. People buy animals without paperwork, and also breed them illegally without breeders’ permits. He says while the legal framework exists to monitor exotic species, challenges in implementing laws remain difficult to overcome.
“The problem is not just the grey parrot. The problem is, what we are going to face is alien and invasive species, which are going to be very common and will create problems across the country. The grey parrot is just one particular species, but we can say that about iguanas, marmosets, snakes, turtles; they all have the ability to become invasive in our ecosystem,” he added. The only solution to this problem would be for a mindset in people to stop wanting to own these animals or a blanket ban on all exotic species.
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